SAUDI ARABIA-KORAN RECITATION Saudi Arabia hosts Koran recitation competition

Record ID: 189561

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-KORAN RECITATION Saudi Arabia hosts Koran recitation competition
  • Date: 31st December 2014
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (DECEMBER 31, 2014) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF RITZ CARLTON HOTEL DELEGATION ENTERING COMPETITION HALL JURY SEATED JURY MEMBER ASKING MOROCCAN COMPETITOR TO START READING KORAN MOROCCAN COMPETITOR READING VERSES FROM KORAN COMPETITION IN PROGRESS AUDIENCE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GENERAL SUPERVISOR OF THE COMPETITION, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED AL-SA'ADAN, SAYING: "This is the eighth version of the competition that has been going on for 15 years. Held every two years, it has become not only a competition, but a cultural event where the military of the world meet. There are several activities on the sidelines such as workshops and gallery as well as a focus on the fight against (extremist) thinking and terrorism." FLAGS OF PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES (SOUNDBITE) (English) MUSLIM CHAPLAIN TO THE BRITISH ARMED FORCES, ALI OMAR, SAYING: "There a lot of cooperation within different militaries but this particular one is on a religious perspective in particular Muslim. At the moment there is a lot of media attention around Islam and the Muslims, so for Muslims to come from the British military to be able to take part in such a valuable competition -- it's a very positive matter which we look into." BRITISH COMPETITOR, MOHAMED AMIN, SITTING DOWN HEAD OF JURY ASKING COMPETITOR TO START AMIN PERFORMING MEMBER OF JURY CORRECTING THE COMPETITOR COMPETITOR REPEATING THE VERSE BRITISH OFFICER RECORDING VIDEO OF AMIN LOGO OF PRINCE SULTAN MILITARY KORAN COMPETITION (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMPETITOR FROM BRITISH ARMED FORCES, MOHAMED AMIN, SAYING: " I think I didn't perform good enough and I know this competition continues every two years and I am very, very sure by the next coming two years I will be very, very prepared to participate." OTHER COMPETITORS WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMPETITOR FROM BRITISH ARMED FORCES, ABDOULIE JOBE, SAYING: "I am here to win the competition. I want to win the competition and go back to the UK with the prize and give it to my ministry of defence and pass it on to the government and everybody is going to know that." COMPETITION IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 15th January 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADTKUGZB75EAHO38DHMXI4AWHJ
  • Story Text: The annual Koran recitation competition has opened in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
    More than 90 competitors from 26 countries are competing this year.
    The event is organised by the Saudi military.
    The competition supervisor said that the scope of the event has widened over the years.
    "This is the eighth version of the competition that has been going on for 15 years. Held every two years, it has become not only a competition, but a cultural event where the military of the world meet. There are several activities on the sidelines such as workshops and gallery as well as a focus on the fight against (extremist) thinking and terrorism," said Major general Mohammed al-Saa'dan.
    Among those who are taking part this year are two military officials from Britain - the only non-Muslim majority nation to take part in the competition.
    The Muslim Chaplain to the British Armed Forces, Ali Omar, said their participation was very encouraging.
    "There a lot of cooperation within different militaries but this particular one is on a religious perspective in particular Muslim. At the moment there is a lot of media attention around Islam and the Muslims, so for Muslims to come from the British military to be able to take part in such a valuable competition -- it's a very positive matter which we look into," he said.
    One of the British participants was Mohamed Amin who said he could have done better, but hoped to return with a stronger performance the next time.
    "I think I didn't perform good enough and I know this competition continues every two years and I am very, very sure by the next coming two years I will be very, very prepared to participate," Amin said.
    His colleague Abdoulie Jobe said he was keen to win for his nation's armed forces.
    "I am here to win the competition. I want to win the competition and go back to the UK with the prize and give it to my ministry of defence and pass it on to the government and everybody is going to know that," Jobe said.
    The event opened on Sunday (December 28) and continues till January 4.
    The value of the prize is 1,200,000 Saudi riyals (319,756 US dollars).
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